TEDxManhattan - Changing the Way We Eat

Last weekend I spent my Saturday afternoon on the computer. That's not out of the ordinary, but what I did was a little different than usual. Instead of writing for one of the blogs, or researching recipes, gardening techniques, or homeschool resources, I watched TED cover "Changing the Way We Eat".

I didn't get to watch the talks in their entirety, but what I did see got me really excited. Excited about eating local, making local better available for urbanites, eradicating food deserts, and changing people's perception about food. So far I haven't been able to find the rebroadcast online, but I'll try to post the links here when they do become available.

In the meantime, you should really check out some of the fabulous speakers from the TEDxManhattan event. Those that got me most excited included Stephen Ritz and his "Edible Wall". He's helped to motivate and initiate a program (The Green Bronx Machine) that's produced more than 25,000 pounds of fresh produce in the Bronx and improve the lives of the over 2,200 kids in one of the poorest areas of the country through education and motivation. This guy is truly motivating.

I also liked the funny Cara Rosean, one of the people who brought us RealTimeFarms.com. It's something like Google Earth with user updated information about restaurants, farms, and markets. What's really great is that it's integrated so that you can know which restaurants and markets offer which farm's produce - and then go on to learn more about the farmer's techniques through links to their websites. I was recently introduced to Real Time Farms through our Dark Days Challenge and have used it on several occasions to locate farm stands and restaurants offering local food.

AmpleHarvest.org's Gary Oppenheimer who's mission is near and dear to my heart also made an appearance. Over the past several years I've tried to donate a portion of my excess produce to someone, or some place, that could use it. When I was in Tennessee I offered some of my veggies to a local women's shelter. Ample Harvest is an organization that supplies local food pantries connections to gardeners that want to share their excess food.

I think the most shocking presentation was given by Stefani Bardin who is studying the comparison of whole versus processed foods and how they affect our bodies internally. This clinical study makes use of a camera in pill form and shows how food is digested. This one's not for the squeamish, but I highly suggest watching it: M2A: The Fantastic Voyage.

There's more information available on the other speakers and organizations from the TEDxManhattan event here. I highly suggest taking a few minutes to check out the speakers because they are, and will continue to be, making a huge impact on the way that we eat.